Bed-pan



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1, A. L, FRE'UND. BED PAN.

Patented Aug. 26, 1890.

(No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheet 2.

I A. L. FRE'UND.

BED PAN.

No. 435,058. Patented Aug. 26, 1890.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABRAHAM FREUND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BED-PAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,058, dated August 26, 1890. Application filed September 2, 1889. Serial No. 322,769. (No model.)

being had to the accompanying drawings,

forming a part thereof. 6

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan with a certain apron pertaining to the device removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical section at the line 2 2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan. Fig. 4: is a section at the line 4 4 on Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the entire device in the position of use. Fig. 6 is a detail plan showing the arrangement of certain draw-strings by which the apron is designed to be held in place in use. Fig. 7 is a section like Fig. 2 of a modified form.

The purpose of this invention is to diminish the danger of overflow and increase the facility of drainage.

The structure is made up of four principal part-s besides the inflation and discharge tubes. A is a marginal elastic cushion, which constitutes the inclosing wall of the pan proper; B, a diaphragm of flexible material, preferably rubber sheet, which forms the bottom of the pan proper. C is a marginal elastic cushion, which is located underneath the diaphragm and directly in line below the upper made of rubber and designed to be inflated to adapt them for use. They are each therefore provided with inflation-tubes A and C, respectively. Both of these tubes are preferably connected to their cushions at the forward end. They may be joined to a single mouth-piece D, so as to be inflated simultaneously; but since it may in some cases be desirable to inflate only one cushion they should in that case be each provided with a valve D, to be closed when either one is not to be inflated. A mouth-piece D should in any case be provided for each tube when they are not connected. The construction of this mouth-piece is familiar, comprising a valve d, which may be screwed down to close the orifice through its seat (1' when the inflation is complete.

E is a discharge-tube. It is connected with the pan at the rear end. It is secured between the upper cushion A and the diaphragm B, and is made sufficiently hard or stiff to resist to a considerable degree compression which would restrict its aperture. The lower cushion C is not made continuous around the margin of the pan, but is interrupted at the rear, at the point 0, to allow the dischargepipe E space between the ends of the cushion C. The cushion C is also different from the cushion A, in that it tapers somewhat from the front to the rear on both sides. This taper may be only in respect to the vertical dimensions of the cushion, and at the rear diminished ends its vertical diameter when fully inflated is designed to be at least as great as that of the discharge-pipe, which lies between said ends, so that the cushions will protect the dischargepipe from the effect of the pressure exerted by the weight of the patient, which would tend to compress the pipe butfor such protection.

A purpose served by tapering the cushion C as described is that thereby the rear end of the diaphragm forming the bottom of the pan is lower than the front, so that the drain age of the pan is rendered certain to be rearward toward the discharge-pipe. effect is measurably insured by making the discharge at the rear, because the weight of the patient will be more exerted upon the rear than upon the forward part, so that even if the supporting-cushion C were not tapered the greater compression to which it is subjected at the rear would tend to lowerthe rear end of the bottom of the pan.

I provide,in addition to thedevices already described, the apron F, whichis joined to the inner edge of the upper marginal cushion A, extending for about half the circumference of the san1e-that is, around the rear and about half the way forward 011 each side. This apron is constructed from plain rubber sheet of light weight, a recess ornotch being cut'in one edge to conform to the contour of the inner edge of the cushion A at that portion with which the apron makes junction, as above described. It is of such dimensions as to be The same or slip-loop F and through both rings on each The diaphragm B in this construction is a.

sideI pass a draw-string F This draw-string may, if preferred, be fastened to one of the rings and reeved through the other. Both draw-strings are long enough to be held by the patient or attendant in front, and are preferably both provided at the end with astopring F to prevent them from running out of the slip-rings. When the draw-strin gs are pulled in front of the patient, the apron takes the-shape shown in Fig. 5, forming the-pockets f f, which depend rearward from the up per margins of the pan and have their sides sloping upward all around the exterior, so that any overflow that might occur through accident or accidental disturbance of the position of'the patient will be receivedbythesepockets. A drainage-pipe may, if desired, beprovided connected to the point which will become the rear and lowest point of the pockets when it isin use,.such drainage-pipe being, however, flexible and compressible, being designed simply as a means of emptying any such overflow from the pockets before attempting the removal of the device from the bed, and not being such as to create any liability of break.- ing or tearingthe apron in handling or when folded for storage- The mechanical details-of construction of this device may largely be determined by the convenience of the rubber-manufacturer; but as-I have designed and constructed the same each of the elastic cushions A and C is made of two pieces a at, whose edges abut and are secured by a lapping strip a. The apron F ispreferably joined to the upper cushion by being lapped under the strip a between it and the-upper piece a, all the-parts-being vulcanized together after being thus assembled.

plain piece of rubber sheet of oval for-m, cor responding to the contour of the pan, which laps the entire circumference of the upper cushion A onits under side and overlaps similarly the entire length of the under cushion Con its upper side. This diaphragm is also preferably assembled with the other parts, in the-manner described, before vulcanizing, so that it is vulcanized with them, and its junction with the cushions thereby made the most secure possible.

Another form of, construction may be adopted, and is illustrated in Fig. 7, wherein thediaphragm extends in a continuous piece through what would otherwise be a single air chamber or cushion formed by the pieces I) b, one above and the other below thediaphragm,said diaphragm thus becoming the partition between the two air-chambers, which by reason of being thus separated operate as independent cushions in the form above described.

An additional advantage of tapering the lower cushion is that thereby the upper margin of the pan is inclined down toward the rear, which causes the patients body to assume a position favorable for the operation of irrigation, in connection with which such devices are most frequently employed.

I claim- 1. In a bed-pan, in combination with a marginal elastic cushion A, constituting the Wall of the pan proper, a diaphragm B, underlying such cushion and constituting the bottom of the pan, an elastic marginal cushion 0, located below the upper cushion A and constituting a support for the pan, and a dischargepipe from the pan communicating therewith at the rear end of the pan, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a bed-pan, in combination with a mar ginal elastic cushion A, constituting the wall of the pan proper, a diaphragm B, underlying such cushion and constituting thev bottom of the pan, an elastic'su-pport for the pan, adapted to yield under pressure at any part of its extent, and a discharge-pipe for the pan lead ing therefrom at the rear end, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a bed-pan, in combination with the pan proper, comprising the bottom and sides, a discharge-pipe leading therefrom at the rear, and an elastic support for the pan, adapted to yield at the rear under pressure, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. In a bed-pan, in combination with the pan proper having the discharging-pipe leading therefrom at the rear and extending below the bottom of the pan, an elastic cushion constituting support for the pan, said support being provided with an interval at the rear at the locality of the discharge-pipe, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a bed-pan, in combination with the pan proper, an elasticcushion- O, underlying the pan around the margin and intermitted at the rear for a short distance, and the dischargepipe E, leading from the pan at the rear and extending below the bottom thereof in said intermission of the marginal cushion, substantially as and forthe purposeset forth.

6. In abed-pan, in combination with the pan proper, a dischargepipe leading therefrom at the rear, and an elastic cushion G, serving as a support for the pan, said cushion diminishin g in vertical dimension from front to rear,

8. In a bed-pan, in combination with the upper marginal air cushion A, provided with IIO an inflating-pipe, the lower marginal air- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set cushion 0, also provided with an infiatingmy hand, in the presence of two Witnesses, at IO pipe, said air-cushions being n0n-c0mmuni- Chicago, Illinois, this 24th dayof Angnst,1889. eating, so that they may be separately inflated,

the diaphragm B, secured between them and ABRAHAM L. FREUND. constituting the bottom of the pan proper, Witnesses:

and the drainage-pipe E, leading from the pan CHAS. S. BURTON,

at the rear end, substantially as set forth. H. B. HALLOOK. 

